Correlation between conjunctival provocation test (CPT) and systemic allergometric tests in allergic conjunctivitis.
In order to assess the potential usefulness of CPT as a diagnostic tool for ocular allergy, the correlation between skin/RAST tests and CPT was determined in 144 patients affected by allergic 'hay fever' type conjunctivitis. The results showed that an agreement between skin/RAST tests and CPT occurred in 71% of the cases (130/183). Of the 29% uncorrelated cases, 23% (43/183) were positive for at least one specific antigen by skin/RAST tests but not by CPT, while 6% (10/183) were positive for at least one specific antigen by CPT, but not by skin/RAST tests. CPT dramatically increased the histamine levels in tears (p less than 0.001). These findings show that (1) systemic tests can be misleading in that they may suggest a specific sensitisation which, in fact, does not involve the conjunctiva (systemic test positive/CPT negative); (2) CPT can identify local conjunctival sensitisation in the absence of a systemic sensitisation (systemic test negative/CPT positive); (3) CPT can demonstrate that allergic 'hay fever' type conjunctivitis may be related to allergens different from those responsible for a systemic sensitisation.
Leonardi
A
A
Regional Centre for the Diagnosis and the Treatment of Inflammatory Eye Diseases, University of Padova, Italy.
Fregona
I A
IA
Gismondi
M
M
Daniotti
E
E
Carniel
G
G
Secchi
A G
AG
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000485:Allergens; D002648:Child; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000276:immunology; D003233:Conjunctivitis, Allergic / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006632:Histamine / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000032:analysis; D007159:Immunologic Tests; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011852:Radioallergosorbent Test; D012882:Skin Tests; D013666:Tears / Q000276:immunology
D000485:Allergens; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D006632:Histamine